The present invention relates generally to computer networks and, specifically, to a method and apparatus that allow users to select certain portions (sub-elements) of web pages to form xe2x80x9cshortxe2x80x9d web pages.
The expanded popularity of the World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cthe webxe2x80x9d) has brought new problems for web users. As users obtain more and more information from the web, they must visit greater numbers of different web pages to obtain the information. This information is often contained on several separate web pages or web sites. Alternately, a user may wish to see only a small piece of information that is contained in a very large and complex page or site. The user must search through the pages in which he is not interested to reach the information that he wishes to see.
Many users visit the same sequence of web pages or sites on a daily or a regular basis. For example, some users might check the weather or their stock portfolio on a daily basis. Even though a user may visit the same web pages and/or sites regularly, the user must still take individual actions to visit each of his regularly visited web pages or sites. For example, the user may have to enter the web addresses of each page or click on each page in a list of saved addresses in his browser. This repeated entry of web addresses is time consuming and involves un-needed repetitive action by the user.
What is needed is a way to avoid regularly re-entering the same multiplicity of web addresses and a way to avoid having to navigate through multi-level web sites to reach desired information or to learn when the desired information has changed.
A described embodiment of the present invention allows users to select certain portions (sub-elements) of web pages and to turn notifications on or off for those selected sub-elements of the web page. A notification is sent when the selected sub-element of the web page changes in a user-specified way. The user sets a notification condition for each selected sub-element of the web page. When the notification condition is true for any of the selected sub-elements, the system notifies the user that his selected sub-element of the web page has changed. Thus, certain changes to the web page may not cause a notification to occur. For example, the change may not occur in a selected element of the web page. As another example, a selected element of the web page may have changed, but the change may not meet the notification condition set by the user. The user can use any of a wide variety of client devices to view the web page, such as a computer, a handheld device, a cell phone, an alphanumeric pager, or any appropriate web-enabled device or appliance.
The described embodiment of the present invention breaks the web page into sub-elements of varying granularity. Selection-enabling information is added to the web page to enable the user to select the sub-elements and the web page is sent to the user""s browser. The user selects certain sub-elements or sub-elements of the web page and sets notification criteria for each. The user""s choices are stored, preferably in the server, although they could also be stored at another location, such as the user""s system. The notification criteria includes a frequency to monitor for changes. The server preferably retrieves the web page in accordance with the notification frequency or frequencies set by the user. The server then checks whether the notification condition has been set for each sub-element having a notification condition.
The user is notified that the notification condition has been met for a sub-element via a user-selected notification mechanism. Notification mechanisms include, but are not limited to e-mail messages, paging the user, and placing a notification on a notification web page. The user preferably selects one of several possible notification methods.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention relates to a method to notify a user of certain changes to a web page, comprising: allowing a user to choose sub-elements on a web page as subjects of notification; saving the user""s choices; and monitoring the user""s chosen sub-elements on the web page and notifying the user when a notification condition is true for at least one of the sub-elements.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention relates to an apparatus that notifies a user of certain changes to a web page, comprising: a software portion configured to allow a user to choose sub-elements on the web page as subjects of notification; a software portion a. configured to save the user""s choices; and a software portion configured to monitor the user""s chosen sub-elements on the web page and to notify the user when a notification condition is true for at least one of the sub-elements.
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and equivalents.